Acid 02
by novaeverdeen
Summary: AU. Peeta and Katniss are happily married, but Gale can't control his new feelings for Peeta. How will he handle his emotions? Will he be able to tell Peeta how he feels? GalexPeeta. NOW COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

Gale was going over to Katniss's and Peeta's for a dinner party. They had been married for about a year and were celebrating. Gale had a gift basket in his hand and wine in the other as he made his waty to the front door Nand knocked.

Katniss opened the door, looking happy and healthy, and smiled, "Gale! Great, yu're ere. Haymitch, Rue, Finnick, and Johanna are here already too. We're just waiting for Prim and Effie."

He stepped in the house. It was warm and inviting and he took a step frorward as katniss took the gifts ot of his hands, thanking him.

"No problem, catnip." he said.

She smiled and led him to the dinning room. It was warm and inviting. They all greeted him as they were mingling.

"Hey." Finnick said, giving him a high five.

Haymitch was well on his way for getting drunk already but that wasn't surprising.

"Want a drink?" katniss asked him.

"I can get it, thanks." he said, making his way to the kitchen.

Peta was cooking and he looked up.

"Oh hey Gale!"

"Hey peeta. Just grabbing a beer."

Peeta nodded, going back to working on the cheesebuns. Gale grabbed a beer.

"Do you have a bottle opener?"

"Yeah." peeta slid over to a drawer and opened it, handing one to gale. Gale grabbed it and their hands touched bery briefly, sending an electric shock though him. Damn ti. It was happening again.

For months, gale had been feeling odd. And it wasn't the fact his best friend had married peeta meellark. It was because every time he talked to peeta, something weird started to happen. His heart beat a little fast and his palsm got sweaty. He didnt know why. It bothered him. What wasa it about this peeta kid that seemed to make him have an allergic reaction?

"Thanks." gale said, opening the beer wuickly and leaving the kitchen so peeta could work.

"You okay, gale?" katniss asked as he stepped into the dining room. Effie was here now, in some garish looking costume.

"Yeah. Yup. Fine."

"okay. Here, sit next to where prim will be sitting."

He sat down, glad it wasn't next to peeta. He wasn't sure if he could take that.

Prim arrived a few mins after, now in college, looking very pretty and diginifed as she took her place next to gale. Gale had finished his beer already. He felt nervous. Why? Peeta began to bring out the food and his palsm were getting sweaty. Calm down, gale.

Peeta brought out gorgeous food while katniss looked on, serving everyone. Effie was babbling away but all gale could focus on was seeing peeta's strong hands holding the food. He felt sweaty. He needed some air. What was wrong with him? Peeta smiled at him as katniss handed him the food and gale smiled back weakly feeling as though someone was churning his insides. He had to get through this dinner. There was no choice. Peeta sat down across from him, next to katniss and the conversations started, effie finishing her story. Katniss asked prim about college and prim started to tell her own stories. But all gale could think about was he had a serious problem. He didn't want to admit it, but some tiny part of him knew. He was falling for Peeta Mellark.


	2. Chapter 2

Watching Katniss and Peeta being all lovey dovey was starting to fray Gale's nerves. He hadn't planned on falling for Peeta, but somehow it had happened. Maybe it was the way Peeta was so kind to Gale; or maybe the way Peeta seemed pleased whenever Gale visited. He could have just been friendly for Katniss' sake, true. But it was frustrating to try and deal with feelings that Gale himself didn't even understand.

"Why do you look so sad, Gail?" Prim asked, poking him on the shouldre.

"It's a long story, Primmy. I don't want to worry you with it." He ruffled her hair like he used to and smiled when she yelled at him. It was nice to see that she had conquered her battle with acohol and was clean and sober now. She had her whole future ahead of her.

"Too bad mom isn't here, huh?" Katniss said suddenly. Katniss and Prim's mother had died of a weak liver the year before. That's what you get when you don't lay off the sauce, Gale figured. "Poor woman just drunk herself to death." Haymitch said sadly. He would know. That man was probably born with a bottle of burbon in his hand.

Gale tuned the noise of the party out as Effie started to bore everyone with fashion talk. No one really cared. They were just too polite to say anything.

Did he really have feelings for Peeta? What are feelings? When you feel something for someone, were you really feeling it? Now he was confused. He sighed and took a sip of his drink. Was he so pathetic that he would develop feelings for anyone who paid the lesat bit of attention to him?

So many quesitons and so little answers.

"Can you help me get some more cheesebuns out of the oven, Gale?" Peeta snapped him out of his daze. "I know how you love them hot and ready."


	3. Chapter 3

Gale walked with Peeta into the kitchen and Peeta bent over to pull the cheesebuns out of the kitchen. Gale found himself closing his eyes. Nope. Nopppeee.

"You okay?"

Peeta had put the warm cheesebuns down on the kitchen counter, and was looking at him curiously.

"Fine. Too much beer." he lied.

Peeta nodded, "Wanna help me take these off to cool down?"

"Sure."

He walked over to peeta and their hands grazed again. Gale felt goosebumps go up and down his arm. He couldn't understand this. Why was he crushing on peeta of all peole? He had never been interested in a guy before in his life. He just didn't understand.

"Prim looks happy," peeta said and Gale nodded as they worked, "Glad to see she is doing better."

"Me too." he said, his voice raspy with yearning.

He wanted to lean over and kiss peeta. It was crazy. He didn't understand this. He couldn't posibly understand this.

"Could you hold this for me?" he handed him a pan and Gale took it.

Peeta worked on the bun, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. Gale could hear the murmer of conversation from the dining room. He heard katniss laugh. Peeta put more buns on the pan Gale was holding.

"It's good to see you doing well." peeta said to him, smiling that damn smile again.

"You too. Katniss looks...happy." he finished lamely.

"She is."

Peeta shifted his weight off his bad leg and took the pan from Gale's hands.

"Thanks for your help." he told him.

Gale nodded, "Yeah, it was no problem."

They were dangeously close to each other now, with tempation rising in gale that he was trying to stuff down. He wanted to grab peeta's hands, touch peeta somehow. It must be the beer. It has to be the beer. How could he have lived with this crush for so long and only now have it simmering up?

Gale spoke, "Uhm, I just need...need to go to the bathroom. Where is it?" their house was new and gale didn't know where everything was.

Peeta spoke, "I'll show you."

Peeta lead him down the ahllway that was connected to the other side of the kitchen, down a quaint hallway, and pointed to the bathroom.

"Here." peeta said.

"Thanks." Gale said and moved past peeta to get into the bathroom.

He could feel peeta's hands accidently slide over his stomach, his body broke out into shivers, a thrill of life he hadn't known before. Peeta's breath was on his neck and then it was gone, peeta was walking down the hallway and Gale shut the door behind him.

Gale paced the bathroom, his breathing labored, staring at himself in the mirror. He had to calm down. What had he wanted just then? He wanted peeta to grab him, kiss him, touch him, but none of that had ahppened. Why? Because this tension was all in his own head. It wasn't real. Peeta was with Katniss. This entire thing was absolutely crazy.


	4. Chapter 4

Gale's heart pounded as he splashed cool water on his face, hoping that some of the telltale blush on his cheeks would fade. He could not, and would not, have feelings for Peeta. This insanity must end. Peta was with his best friend! Gale loved Katniss, even if it was just as a friend. He had known Katniss a long itme and having feelings for her husband was not going to go over well.

Maybe it was just a crush, or some sort of weird infuation. Maybe this was all in his head and he didn't have feelings for Peeza at all. But still...the way their hands touched, his breath on the back of Gale's neck...

Nope. Don't think of that. He shivered again as his mind replayed the feeling of Peeta's hands sliding over his stomach. Gale closed his eyes and sighed again. This was not good. When he felt in control again he joined the rest of the party, ignoring Peeta's small smile.

"You feeling okay, Gale?" Katniss asked, concerned. He almost felt guilty. "Sure, Katnip. I'm going to head home though." He smiled. "Too much to drink." When she volunteered to see him to the door Peeta said "No, don't get up. I'll show him out." At the door Peeta shook Gale's hand, a bit longer than necessary. "Please visit us again." Peeta said in a warm voice. He leaned forward and whispered "Next time you will have to visit when it's just us two." Gale shivered and said goodbye, leaving as fast as he could.

What was that all about?


	5. Chapter 5

That night Gale couldn't sleep. He kept thinking about peeta. About peeta's comment before he left. What was goingon? Did he...did peeta...? the thoughts went round and round and round in his head till he felt like he was going to vomit.

After a fritful sleep, he woke up to his phone buzzing. One new text it said. He flipped open his phone and saw it was from peeta. His heart lurched into his throat.

U FORGOT UR COAT HERE. It said.

He crused himself.

I'LL PICK IT UP. He texted back.

He just hoped katniss would be there.

As he walked up to the front door, he realised that katniss wasn't at home. She was at work, teaching. His throat caught again as he rang the doorbell. Peeta opened the door and smiled that smile again and gale felt himself almost start to shake.

"Hey. Let me get you your coat."

Gale stepped inside the entranceway and peeta took off to the kitcehn.

"Want a cheesebun?" he asked.

"No." he said quickly. "Thank you."

Peeta came back with his coat and handed it to him. "Here you go."

Gale took it. Was that it? Had he wanted more? Did he come over here expecting more? He wasn't sure. He didn't know what to think.

"Thanks." Gale said and took a step back, holding the coat, looking at peeta.

That's when peeta moved forward and pressed his lips against Gale. Gale felt as though he was on fire, his entire body swarmed with warmth and his body tingled all over. Peeta backed off.

"Was that too much?" he asked him.

"Uhm," his head was swirling, "No."

"Good."

And Peeta leaned forward and kissed him again, this time deeper. Gale suddenly felt himself returning the kiss, deeper and deeper, as though he was falling into peeta. The kiss felt so natural. So right. They kissed more and peeta found his hands around gale's waste pulling him close to him, their bodies pressing together. Gale's head was spinning. He wasn't thinking logically anymore. He just wanted more. He kissed peeta back, wrapping his arms around him. They were kissing so fiercily they hit the entranceway table, and kept going. His hands were in peeta's hair, pulling it, feeling it, wanting more.

All of a sudden it hit him, what he was doing, how crazy this was, how peeta was married to his best friend. He pushed peeta off of him.

"I can't. I'm sorry, katniss, I just...for katniss, I can't -"

He left quickly, leaving peeta in the foyer.

Gale got into his car and shut the door, panting, out of breaath, out of control, out of options. He didn't know what to do. He started to drive back home, the coat in the seat next to him. His lips were tingling from peeta's kisses.

He wanted more, he thought, he wanted so much more. That's what scared him the most.


	6. Chapter 6

This was bad. Very, very bad. He could not fall in love with his best friend's husband. No way. These feelings were wrong-not because they were both men but because of how hurt Katniss would be.

It was wrong, and they both knew it. Gale couldn't remember a time where he had felt so low in his life. All he wanted to do was go home and avoid everyone until his head stopped whirling. He had betrayed Katniss and now he was paying for it. Guilt washed over him and Gale buried his head in his hands. When was this going to end? Why did he feel like tihs? Nothing made sense anymore. His mind nagged at him as he attempted to distract himself with housework but in the end he just gave up.

Gale finally just decided to lay in bed and stare up aat the ceiling, vaguely wondering if the end of the world wouldn't be such a bad thing. Maybe if he was dead he wouldn't have to deal with these feelings anymore.

Was Peeta feeling the same way right now? Was Peeta in bed with Katniss, his mind guilt free? He certainly didn't seem to feel guilty when he was pressing his lips against Gale's. The memory made him shiver.

Suddenly the door bell rang, which made Gale frown. Who could be visiting at htis tiem of night? He sighed and went to the door.

"Hi, Gale."

It was Peeta.


	7. Chapter 7

"Peeta." Gale said suddenly, taken aback.

Peeta stepped forward and kissed Gale passionately. Gale felt himself go weak in the knees. He tried to push peeta away but found he couldn't resist.

"Peeta," he murmered against his lips, "Peeta, we can't."

"i know." peeta said, as he kicked the door shut and grabbed for gale again.

They kissed deeper, falling into the living room, onto the couch, peeta on top of him, kissing him deeply.

"We can't..." gale murmered again but felt himself pressing against peeta, wrapping his arms around him.

"I can't stop thinking about you." peeta whispered, sucking on his bottom lip, grinding against him.

They clawed against each other, pawing at each other, trying to get their clothes off faster, faster, faster. Gale stopped thinking about what was right and what was wrong. He stopped thinking about katniss. Every beat of his heart was saying peeta's name.

They rolled off the couch and onto the floor. Their clothes landed in a pile. Gale could taste peeta on his lips as they kissed, and soon, soon everything faded away, the hours wasted away, as they spent it all together.

Gale opened his eyes. He was on the living room floor, naked, the sunlight pouring in from the window. He looked to his side and saw peeta sleeping on his chest, holding onto him. Peeta was naked too. All of a sudden the previous night fell back into his mind and he remembered everything. They had done everything. His heart began to thump and he closed his eyes. Peeta stirred on his chest.

"Hey." he said softly, "What time is it?"

"It's morning."

"Morning?" peeta sounded slightly panicked, "i have to get back home. I didn't mean to sleep here. What time is it? Is katniss up?" he started to sit up and gale soaked in the sight of him.

He knew it was wrong, but he wanted more. More. He grabbed peeta's hand and leaned in to kiss him deeply before he left.

"What the hell?!" came a high pitched voice.

They broke apart – Katniss stood in front of them, her mouth opened, her eyes tired from lack of sleep.

"peeta!" she exclaimed and Gale tried to back away from peeta, as if katniss hadn't seen them kiss. He remembered he didn't lock the door last night when peeta cam eover.

"Katniss," peeta said, grabbing his clothes, "It isn't what this looks like."

"I've been trying to get ahold of you all night. I woke up and you were...gone! I was coming to gale's for help but I...Peeta, I..." her eyes began to fill with tears and suddenly she took off, running at full speed out of the house.

"Katniss!" peeta yelled, tripping over his clothes, trying to get them on as quickly as possibly, with gale following.

It took them too long to get dressed, took them too long to run out of the house and too long to find Katniss. By the time they found her in the backyard, she was hanging from her favourite tree, her legs swinging gently in the breeze. Peeta collasped in front of her body and peeta stepped backwards. no. no this couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening. This was not what he wanted. It had been just one night. It had...

Gale started to sob.


	8. Chapter 8

Gale felt time stop as he watched Katniss' body sway in the breeze, dropping to his knees in despair. His best friend was dead, and it was all his fault. Instead of telling Peeta no he had gone along with everything. He suddenly regretted every kiss, every touch, everything. It was all his fault. "Katniss, no. It wasn't supposed to end this way. It's not your fault." He sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Katniss."

Beside him Peeta was screaming her name, the two of them sobbing over something that could not be undone.

In the weeks after Katniss' death it seemed as if everyone was in mourning. They managed to hide the real reason as to why she committed suicide, claiming that she was depressed and suicidal. Gale knew different.

Gale simply didn't go out the week before her funeral. He ignored everyone and turned his phone off, preferring to sleep and occasionally eat. Nothing seemed real to him anymore.

The day they buried Katniss the sun was shining and the breeze was warm, a nice day for a funeral. Gale held Prim's hand as they lowered the casket into the ground. The only thing he could hear was sobbing.

He couldn't even look Peetza in the eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

Two months after Katniss killed herself, Gale finished packing the last box of his house. He slid in into the u-haul and shut the door. He was moving. It was time to move on. He couldn't stay here anymore. The memories were too much for him. Too painful.

When he turned around the truck, he saw peeta. He was wearing a long coat and was bundled up.

"Hey." peeta said.

"hey." gale said.

"You leaving?"

"Yeah. I just..."

"I know what you mean."

Gale nodded, "You staying?"

"I guess..." peeta said, shrugging, looking off in the distance.

There was a pause.

"I wish we could go back and change it." Gale blurted out.

Peeta looked at him and shuffled his feet, "I can't take back...how I feel about you Gale."

Present tense. Gale stepped back.

"I have to forget. I have to move on."

"I understand."

"For Katniss."

"I know."

They looked at each other. Gale remembered the feeling of peeta on him, in him, kissing him and knew it would never happen again. Did he deserve for it to? Not after all this pain. Not after katniss...Gale took a deep breath.

Peeta shifted his weight off his bad foot, "Well...good-bye."

"Bye, peeta." he said.

Peeta turned around and started to walk off. Gale wanted to cry again. He pictured a life where peeta and them could be together. Where it was just him and peeta, every morning, in each others arm. But things don't work out that way in life.

Gale started up the truck, took one last look at the leaving Peeta and backed out of the driveway.


End file.
